The Sinaloa Cartel has greatly reduced its presence in Mexico following the arrest and extradition of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, a recent report has indicated.

The report published by Animal Politico reveals how for the first time in 40 years the Sinaloa criminal organization, which has been the biggest traffickers of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana into the United States, has yielded half its power in Mexico, particularly in the western and southern portions of Mexico since 2015.

The publication cited information provided by the Mexican Attorney General’s Office, indicating that the Sinaloa cartel has lost drug trafficking territories in the Mexican Pacific states of Colima, Nayarit, and Jalisco to the hyper-violent New Generation Cartel (CJNG.)

Additionally, the criminal organization has also ceased operations in the Yucatan peninsula.

Mexican crime data courtesy of Animal Politico

Factions of the Sinaloa cartel still maintain control over territories in northwest Mexico with a presence in Chihuahua, Sonora, Durango, Coahuila, Baja California, Baja California Sur and Sonora.

However, officials concede that the New Generation Cartel has gained considerable ground in Chihuahua and Baja California.

Moreover, data suggests that the number of cells which operate the cartel’s criminal operations has declined since “El Chapo’s” capture in 2015.

Mexican Crime data courtesy of Animal Politico

Prior to the apprehension of “El Chapo,” the syndicate had operated up to ten criminal factions and managed to extend its sphere of influence to 24 of the country’s 32 entities while maintaining a vast global reach with a presence in 59 countries worldwide.

However, officials told the Mexican publication that in the first four months of 2017, government data shows that the strength has been reduced to seven cells: The Assassin Artists, Gente Nueva or the New People, Los Cabrera, the West Cartel; El Aquiles, El Tigre, and Del 28.

The removal of Guzman from the cartel’s leadership structure has been one of the main indicators for the group’s decline.

He is scheduled to stand trial in April 2018 on a 17-count indictment charging him with running a transnational criminal organization.

Mexican Crime data courtesy of Animal Politico

U.S. federal law enforcement officials have confirmed that the extradition of Guzman caused a “rearrangement” within the leadership of the Sinaloa cartel, which has weakened as a result of internal divisions on infighting.

The decline of the Sinaloa Cartel has spurred the advancement of other criminal organizations specifically the CJNG, which officials confirm, is already the criminal group with more presence in the country.

Additionally, the cartel suffered another significant loss with the arrest of “El Chapo’s” one-time top lieutenant Damaso Lopez Nunez, alias “El Licenciado,” an influential figure and leader of the Los Damaso faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, who was arrested back in May.

At the time of his capture, Lopez Nunez had remained locked in an internal war for control of the Sinaloa Cartel with the sons of “El Chapo” and Guzman’s long-time partner Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.